


A praying boredom

by Anima_Lira



Series: Passing flow [1]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Blood, M/M, Mocking, Spirits, Vampires, not so healthy relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-27
Updated: 2020-09-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:54:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26124556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anima_Lira/pseuds/Anima_Lira
Summary: "I'm... alive?""I guess you could say that."
Relationships: Bakura Ryou & Yami Bakura, Bakura Ryou/Yami Bakura
Series: Passing flow [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2154198
Comments: 3
Kudos: 9





	A praying boredom

**Author's Note:**

> Kind of inspired by a picture. More down below.

He was tired. Even though he shouldn't be, couldn't be, he was. The tea didn't taste anymore, the sweets hadn't any flavor he could enjoy at all. It just didn't _fit_ , wasn't worth it anymore. He really was tired.

Maybe that was what led him into here, into the temple deep under the earth, far away from the sunlight and the humans that once build this temple under it.

It was strange, because he knew he would've been afraid of it if he still were human, but he wasn't, so he was not.

It was a beautiful temple, he couldn't doubt it; beautiful in all the rottenness, dust and mud. Beautiful in all the darkness, the chains and the stones, the overwhelming image of death all around - beautiful indeed.

In the middle of the room stood the thing that had drawn him here, sealed away in stones no human could move. He did, as easy as picking up a pebble from the river, ignoring the blood that begun to flow down his hands like water. The item sealed away was a necklace, apparently.

A really pretty one, all in gold, beautiful, just like the rest in here. Ryou picked it up, held it, pulled. It didn't break under his strength. How interesting. Maybe a bit harder?

_"Release me. Please, release me."_

The voice, from wherever it came, sounded as tired as him, begging like he wouldn't believe anymore, wouldn't dare to hope anymore.

"Fine", he said, looked around some more. Maybe destroying all the seals would do it. Maybe not. The seals made by human hands were easy to break, almost as if they were tired of their duty too, didn't want to anymore. He was done, and the necklace started to glow once more.

Shortly after, a body appeared in front of him, falling down to its knees immediately, gasping for air. He waited, thinking it would stop soon enough. When it didn't, he started to worry.

Well, not worry, he hadn't been worried for quite some time, there wasn't any reason to. But the need to do something came up within him, wanting him to somehow stop the other from dying. And what was he better in than to trick death away?

He sat down on one knee next to the body, sliced open his wrist. How odd. When had he done that last? He held it towards the shivering figure, waiting, letting it drop down. Nothing. Right, due to the darkness, the other probably didn't see him at all.

A human then? He moved closer, grabbing the other, leading the head to his wrist.

"Drink. It will help."

Ignoring the flinch that couldn't do anything to his strength, he just forced the blood down the other's throat, not willing to let go again of the thing he had just found.

And after a little while, the human drank on his own, inhaling blood instead of the far more needed air, drank it all in, pleadingly, begging like the nothing he was.

How cute.

~...~

"Where am I?"

Looking like the bed he was placed in was trying to torture him in every way possible, the human turned around until his eyes met _his_ , narrowing down immediately.

He crawled to the end of the bed, seemingly ignoring the pain he was in. Ryou put down his book (he hadn't read a single word so far, just aimlessly turned around the pages), but kept on sitting, not wanting to stand up.

"In my room."

Not that he really used it though. The human jumped out of the bed, confused, scared. Of course he would be. After all...

"I'm... alive?"

"I guess you could say that."

It still was strange how that human just had... been there suddenly, like the one sealed away in the jewellery was him in the first place, not some kind of spirit. It would be interesting.

"Who are you?"

The human mustered him, not sure if he should attack or just give in and scat as fast as he could. Not that he would get away.

"Ryou. And your name would be?"

"There is none. Why am I here?"

He didn't scat and hadn't attacked either yet. How strange.

"I pulled some seal out of some stone. Now you're free again, or at least what's left of you."

"...I see."

Calming down, but not letting down his guard, the human shook his head.

"Why did you let me out?"

"I don't know. I guess I was bored."

Because he was. The fact that the other had asked to be let free was unimportant.

"Of course you were. Let me guess, you're some sort of royal? One of those oh so perfect nobles with many subjects, that can do what they want all the time because no one is able to stop them- where is it? Where is my ring?!"

As if he just had realized that he didn't wear anything at all, the human grabbed to his throat, searching for something that wasn't there. Shivering, going insane. Slowly, with ease.

"There."

He pointed at the table next to the other, the table the human nearly had thrown down in his need to escape the warmth of the bed.

The golden item had stopped glowing after that, but since it had been there, he just took it with him as well.

The "ring", as the other called it, was snatched away immediately, the clothes he put there as well were ignored though, as the human put the necklace on again, seemingly calming down after that.

More or less.

"So you came into the sacred temple?"

"I did."

"Without getting cursed and dying immediately."

"It seems like it at least."

Well, there had been blood. Maybe a human would've died because of it.

"Isn't that just great. How did you even find the temple?"

"Somebody told me about it."

The same one that sold his life away to him for a few of those coins too. Maybe he should give him more of it next time? Had he paid too little so far, thus risking that his source of food would soon start to die?

"Somebody told you about it."

Disbelieve was clearly heard in the other's voice. Ryou nodded again.

"Why did you take me with you? Because you were bored too?"

Fear was replaced by anger, blood that was alive and yet not quite was boiling in wrath. He nodded. Why indeed.

"You looked like me. That's why, probably."

The white hair, fair skin - well, the eyes were different, but he would've taken the other with him anyway, no matter the appearance. He was asked to do so, after all.

Laughter filled the room suddenly, the human sank back on the bed as if his knees wouldn't support him anymore, still laughing, the boiling slowly decreasing bit by bit, only leaving behind a void of desperation and loneliness.

"So I was saved by the narcissism of a rich noble. That's perfect, it really is. So what now? Did you take me with you to amuse yourself? To be your slave because you own my life now?"

"No."

"Of course- what?"

"No, I didn't take you back for that."

Slavery was a common thing though. Had the other been a slave before? A sacrifice? A criminal? All three? How much time had passed since it? Ryou would ask, but something told him that the human had just as much knowledge on this whole thing as he did. Said human watched him, still confused, before sighing at last.

"I'm not in the mood for mind games, don't kid me. Just for what did you take me?"

He really looked like him, it was strange, confusing. Weren't there stories about lost twins? Not that it would really make sense, but none the less.

"There is no other reason."

"Then what, can I just go?"

"I will follow you though."

"Because it amuses you?"

"I don't think so."

Silence, eyes moving warily up and down on him, then proceeded to do it with the rest of the room too, searching for something that wasn't there, before landing on him again.

"You're wearing strange clothes. Something new you royals came up with? Who are you even, to what oh so mighty line do you belong, whom do you serve?"

Silence, then laughter, laud and humorless.

"Or maybe you're his highness himself, about to order another mass execution?"

The vampire shook his head, shook it again.

"I don't command anyone."

Not really, at least. He paid instead. There was a difference. Somewhere.

"And I'm not a king. I'm not even a noble, not by blood, nor by marriage."

"Yet you wear this and live here."

"I do."

"And am I supposed to wear those too? Or did you just show me them to take them away immediately?"

"They are yours now."

"Oh really. Let me change then, won't you, oh fair maiden?"

"Of course."

He stood up at last, granting the other's wish - even though it seemed somewhat useless by now, but whatever. He waited outside of the room, until he heard the shatter of glass and a scream of pain, followed by the scent of blood and dirt. How odd.

Putting aside the book in his hands, he opened the door again, took a look at the mess his room now was. The glass was completely shattered, lied everywhere around the window in tiny pieces. How odd indeed. He stepped inside, walked to the end of the room, looked out of the window. It had been open. Now it would be open for a long time.

Down on the ground was the nameless human, trying his hardest to get away one the one good leg he still had. What had he been thinking, doing something so stupid? Or was it just miscalculation perhaps?

"You are hurt. Where do you want to go like this?"

The other didn't answer, just kept on dragging on until he collapsed soon after, trying to suppress any kinds of sound. Since no answer came, he jumped done as well, landing on the floor lightly before going to the other, examining the damage done.

"It's broken. I can heal it."

His hand was slapped away before he could touch the other. It ended in a pained sound, almost like a wounded dog would whine.

"Don't you dare. I don't need your witchcraft."

"It's not witchcraft. It's only-"

"I don't care, shut up!"

"But it won't heal otherwise. You already drank my blood once, it didn't hurt you, did it?"

"Shut up!"

The voice of the human became louder with every time, louder and louder. Not that he minded, but other people would notice.

"Then I won't give it to you. But let me bring you back inside."

"Let go."

"I won't. Don't scream, don't shout. This is not a place where you would like people to know that you are injured."

He lifted the other up, but settled with just helping him to walk instead of making it easier and carry him like last time. Even if that would've been better.

"Oh, and what place isn't? I have no home to return to."

"Then why did you leave?"

"Because you're not human."

"Were you scared?"

"Disgusted."

"Coming from the one who was sealed away in a stone?"

Well, his heart did still beat at least. His own, did not. A hiss came out when he sat the other down on the bed. Another room. If he would ever use the old one again?

"You're the one who freed me. You're not even supposed to be _alive_ anymore."

"I'm not, so it's fine. And you're not either, I think. Your blood is different."

Then again, the blood he drank now wasn't human either, at least not completely. But whatever.

"It is not? So I'm a monster too?"

"I don't know. But if you're not human anymore, what does it matter if you drink some blood?"

"Shut up."

"Do you want something to eat?"

"So you can feed me your blood without me noticing it?"

"Not anymore."

"Oh shut it. Just leave already."

"I won't. You're hurt and you did something stupid the last time I leaved."

But he _did_ put on his clothes effortlessly. At least the shirt and the pants. Good enough. Ryou stayed silent for a bit, then shook his head.

"Are you scared of me?"

"I already said no, didn't I?"

"But you tried to run away."

"You said that I could leave whenever I wanted!"

"You can. But don't just hurt yourself. And I will still follow you."

"Don't you have anything better to do?!"

For someone who was definitively in pain, the human sure could sound pretty angry. The vampire crossed his arms, waited.

"Not really, no."

So he waited in silence until the other grumpily decided to go to sleep once more, either too scared or too tired to try and be dumb again. Who would knew. Thou the idea of sleep felt almost beautiful, asking him to do something in order to finally accomplish it too.

Sadly his kind couldn't fall asleep without being almost dead because of injuries, so he would have to wait until his living blood source would get his way overdue panic attack and lead a mob to the forest like the last one did. For some strange reason, that hadn't happened yet, even though at least a decade had passed already.

But not sleeping at all still had its benefits, his sire once told him. He could just lie around all day, watching his lover (though he hadn't stated it like that, had been - less polite with it) sleep peacefully.

Or watching his human half - not really human half - kick around with his injured leg and scream in fear, terrified by whatever nightmare was haunting him right now. Would this be considered less romantic by his sire? He wasn't that sure. That vampire always had been one for dramatic, even when he still were human.

Ryou stood up, proceeding to wake the other, when he was jumped on instead, attacked by a feral beast like a poor dear. Though the hand that was aimed at his face didn't connect with him, just went through him like water, wasn't able to grasp him. Another try. And another. Then, the growl turned into a squeal, ending in a shout, as the other jumped off of him again, looking at his hands that slowly started to disappear into nothingness, far away from anything.

Ryou sat up, suppressed the amazement over actually just being brought down like that by a human, watching the other's panic attack proceed. Watching it could also become some sort of entertainment if he was willing to let himself be entertained by it.

But once it was over, there was the risk of the other being gone forever, he wouldn't want that just yet.

"You're starting to disappear. You were suffocating last time."

"Make it stop then! Make it stop!"

"I gave you my blood last time. Maybe it will help this time as well-"

"Then don't waste time!"

How desperate. The thought of just cutting his wrist and waiting for the other to crawl over to him in this pathetic state crossed his mind for a second, but he decided against it, just walked over to the other.

The human - not really - tried to grab his wrist, hissed when it didn't work.

"Hold still."

He did it like last time, made sure the other could actually drink. His eyes continued to stare at the hands, watching as they slowly became visible again, no trace of ever been on the edge of stopping to exist. He let go of the other's head, waited until the other withdrew from his wrist, let it heal again.

"Don't look down on me like that."

And then he was pulled down to the floor, still too surprised by the other's strength to do anything.

"I will try. Stop being pathetic then."

He was let go with a hiss, sat down on his knees, facing the other as he examined his body again.

"The pain in my leg is gone."

"Of course it is."

"Just what the hell am I right now? Something like you? Your servant, since I've been saved by your damn blood?"

Had he been refusing to drink because of that? Feared to lose control over his mind?

"Would it matter to you? You choose to drink this time."

"Shut up and answer the question."

How rude. He would've been slapped for something like that - no, he wouldn't have been. The one serving alongside him had been insolent all the time after all. Either his sire had been good to the one's belonging to him, or just was amused by it all the time. Who would know.

"My blood just heals wounds. It doesn't turn you, nor does it make you obedient towards me in any way."

"Then why did you _give_ it to me? Again, just plain boredom?"

"Probably. What are you going to do now?"

One last hateful glare was thrown at him, before the other relaxed, sighed.

"I'm going to figure out what the hell I am, how much time has passed while I was sealed away and what happened after the execution. Where did you found me?"

"In the temple, not far away from here."

"Did I already look like this? No darker skin?"

"No."

"And where _is_ here anyway?"

"Japan. The land of the rising sun."

"Never heard of that."

"Yet you speak my language."

"Shut up. Another thing to figure out then. I will go to this temple tomorrow."

"I will follow."

"You will lead me to it, your highness. Are you able to go out in the sunlight with that skin?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"What do I know, I'm just a soul that somehow still exist. Knowing about your kind is the last thing on my mind."

"I see."

"You see nothing. Now leave."

Since no more words came from the other, the vampire leaved the room, proceeded to make himself another cup of tea and read his book to the end. How odd. How odd indeed.

~...~

"You're wearing your shirt wrong."

"Let's see if I care. How long until we are there?"

The white haired walked behind him, looking around every now and then, taking in everything that was there to see. Which didn't keep him from muttering insults from his mouth every time the vampire decided to talk to him.

"Almost. At the end of the street, down the path and into the earth. you've been hidden very well."

Silence, again. They didn't met anyone else, which wasn't odd. It was deep within the forest after all.

"Is Japan the name of a city?"

"A country. Or, an island, depending on who you ask."

Silence, filled with confusion and his own thoughts. Then,

"How far is that from Egypt?"

"I can't tell. I've never heard of it. I doubt that it is near."

He wasn't very good with the rest of the world. His sire had found him in a ship that was led here by a storm many years ago. Or well, had found him on a stone, with the rest of the ship floating around in and under the sea.

"We are here. Do you need a light to see?"

"No. My eyes seem to be fine. Is that also something your blood is responsible for?"

"I don't know. Perhaps."

"Isn't that just great."

They stepped inside, the opening still wide enough to fit since Ryou had practically destroyed it in order to search the first time. It had been hidden well indeed. Though while the other searched and searched, even destroyed more in the process, there was nothing to find, nothing at all. Frustrated, the white-haired kicked the very same stone he had been sealed in, growled. Turned around to him.

"Who was it that told you about this?"

"My blood source."

"Disgusting. And does your "blood source" still breathe? Still is able to talk?"

He nodded, as they turned to leave at last, stepping back to the castle - only for the other to go further. Away from the land he owned and did not own at the same time, down to the next town. Ryou followed, calmly watching as the other took the wrong way twice, was even more frustrated once he looked at him again. A wild beast, ready to strike. Or a lost puppy, trying to act the part.

"What is it that you want?"

"I want you to just stop talking. Lead me to this blood source."

"I don't know where he lives."

"Of course you don't. How did you even survive till now?"

"I-"

"You don't know that either, I get it. Do you have any information about your kind at least? Something, anything that can help me figure out what's going on?"

"There are a lot of books that my sire wrote in his free time-"

"I can't read this language-"

"I can teach y-"

"Or you could just tell me."

The human stopped walking, sighed, shook his head. "Or teach me to read, I don't care. Just - let's just get back, I'm tired."

"Are you feeling sick-"

"Shut up."

~...~

"This doesn't make sense at all."

"It makes sense eventually." He wrote it down again, showed the other how to pronounce it. Seeing his own face struggle with this simple task really was something. Especially if the confusion turned into pure rage, ending in the other just standing up all of a sudden, getting out of the room.

"Where are you-"

"Away from you!"

He looked at the thrown down table and the spilled ink. Nah, not even for that he would've been slapped. The other probably would've laughed about it.

"That might be a-"

The main door had fallen shut, loud and clear. It was silent for about a moment or two, maybe even three. Then the door swung open again and the other stormed in again, angry eyes and disappearing hands.

"It might be a bad idea-"

"Shut up. Your blood, give it to me."

"Put the table back before."

The glare aimed at him would have been enough to kill, he was almost sure about it. The white haired didn't even try, just got closer, trying to force his eyes down, away.

"Aren't you funny. I will put it back once I can grab it again. Now, your blood?"

He tried hard, it had gotten better. He was still afraid, really afraid. Was he that desperate not to die? Maybe-

He had sliced his wrist open before he could think further, had even stood up, let the other drink, not knowing if he should be fascinated or not. Watched as the other got visible again, still directed his glare at anything in the room but him. After it was done, the human got down and put the table where it belonged, together with whatever paper that hadn't been soaked in ink yet.

Hands that had been see through a moment ago grabbed on the brush like on a life-line, as he finally looked at him again, sat down.

"That be better worth it. If I find out that these book of yours are made out of garbage, I'm going to burn them myself."

"I wouldn't let-"

"Shut up."

Ryou sat down too, pulled out new ink and they continued, spent the time with teaching and having one emotional collapse after the other. Until the white haired gave up for today, said he was going to play dead for a while longer.

~...~

"You never sleep, do you?"

"No, I don't."

"Come here."

He looked up from his book, saw the other standing in the edge of the door as if trying to hide. It didn't fit with his voice.

"Why should I?"

"Because you had been at the same page since I left. Come here."

He stood up, walked over to the other. Maybe not really afraid. Mostly annoyed, just a bit afraid.

"Show me around in here."

"Go around yourself-"

"I don't want to risk disappearing again. Until I've figured out what to do you will accompany me, boy."

"I'm not a boy. I'm older than you-"

"No, you're not. Believe me, you're not."

He walked next to the other, begun to point at different doors.

"These are-"

The white-haired opened the door, storming inside without hesitation.

"You're not supposed to open them-"

"What was this room used for?"

"A bedroom."

"And the next room?"

"Also a bedroom."

"And the next-"

"The whole hallway is made of bedrooms."

The other stopped in his tracks, just stopped.

"How many rooms are there?"

"A lot."

"Quite the highness, all in all. And yet you've no idea where your food lives. Isn't that like a slave running around freely and without control?"

"Since it happens willingly and I pay for that, it's more like prostitution. And it's not like he doesn't benefit from it at all."

Silence. Disbelief, and annoyance. Familiar feelings, very familiar. (The eyes were wrong though.) He shrugged, surprised that he did so. "It was to not frighten the human. I can be quite frightening."

"Oh, I believe that", the other said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "But why would you let your food source even live separated from you? Do you... simply not care? That they could run away? That they could try to get rid of you?"

That wasn't really fair. With his blood healing everything in a second, he could've kept the other human here all the time. He _would've_ kept the other, if not for his so called family. (He would've kept the family too, but if they lived here, then maybe they would be too afraid to try anything and then the chance of an angry mob would be as far as the white-haired with his face right now.)

"No, I wouldn't mind that. Besides, it's not like there can be done much. Either I die or not. What about you? And have you come up with a name for you yet?"

Not that he minded just calling the other by "you" or human-not quite human, but maybe then he would stop wanting to look through every room here-

"Names aren't important. I'm fine with not having a name, especially when you're going to be the one calling it."

"So you believe it's dangerous to tell a supernatural being your name? I can come up with one-"

"Don't you dare-"

"I will give you mine then. In the time I came here, normal peasants weren't supposed to have two anyway-"

"I don't want-"

"Bakura it is then."

The hand around his wrist tightened.

"Of course _that_ was your name too. Now you're going to tell me that you've been a thief as well, whose entire village was- no, I don't care, just keep on showing me around, will you?"

"Of course Bakura."

Sadly the other wasn't going to rage around somewhere else, just grabbed his wrist with more strength than there should be and dragged him further into this way too large mansion.

~...~

"Can you read it yet?"

"It says that vampires can... summon servants, if they desire to."

"Does it now?"

The book was thrown at him, he cocked his head to the side, avoiding it. Another book was in the other's hand, red eyes that matched his own only in color were full of rage and suppressed rage. It looked funny on his face, if he was honest.

"You knew it! You knew it all along, you-", but then he stopped, sighed. Opened the book in his hands instead of throwing it.

"For what purpose... _did_ you summon me? Did you think it would be amusing to abuse some stray soul, boy?"

"There was no purpose and I didn't summon you. Not actively at least. And don't forget that you asked to be released."

Why was he even _mad_ about it? Surely one wouldn't be mad if they were finally free after countless of years? The other did claim to be older than him, so he had been there quite some time too, hadn't he?

"Are you saying that _I_ was the one that got you to summon me?"

"Well I freed you, didn't I? You said that I shouldn't be alive because of that, didn't you? Why? Because it was protected by some sacred spells that would make sure that you were never to run across this earth again?"

He hadn't thought about it at first, really. There had been a lot of seals that looked convincing enough, but they had been so easy to break, it had been way too easy-

"Or maybe the seals were to make sure that the poor fool walking in and freeing you would become the new you? A body to posses, was it that what you were looking for?"

In that case, it would make sense _why_ he took his appearance. He had tried to _be_ him, after all.

"Shut up. Maybe I was, but it's not like that matters _now_. You still have your own body while I don't even know where the hell I am. Or does it matter to you, your highness? Are you going to punish me because I was trying to get free no matter what? If you had been human, you would've been either dead now or not in control of your own body anymore after all."

If he listened closer, he could've mistaken the other's tone as apologetic- no, not apologetic, but regretful, even filled with guilt. He shook his head. Shook it another time for good measure.

"There is no need for me to abuse you. I'm stronger and more powerful, live in a castle, while you can't even completely manifest at all. Why should I hold that over you?"

_"Because you could"_ , wasn't said. Instead he got another glare.

"...Your way of talking makes me want to punch you very much, your highness."

"I am not royal, I already told you that this castle belonged to someone who is gone now. In a way, I'm just a free loader too, even though I am pretty sure the one giving it to me implied it was a gift."

But what did he know. The white-haired vampire had always been bizarre, from beginning to the end. Bakura sent him a finale glare over the book, but remained silent, focusing on the words he didn't understand yet, hiding his frustration behind anger. Ryou did him the favor of looking away, took a sip from his cup.

~...~

"I hadn't been trying to escape. I... I just fell, tripped over myself."

"I believe you."

"And that's exactly why it sucks."

"Does it?"

His tea was pushed away suddenly, landed on the floor. His hand reached for it automatically, but couldn't grab it in time. Maybe he was hurt. But not really. He turned to the other again. Stared. Just stared.

"What, are you angry?"

"Pour me a new one."

The other had the gall to look confused. Then angry again. Then unsure and confused. He finally stood up, got closer. Took the can that still was on the table and poured the hot liquid in the cup. Ryou took a sip. Took another. Ignored the other's asking eyes.

"...Anything else?"

"No."

The white haired went back again, buried himself in the books and the information he got out of them.

"Yes", he said after a while, "it does."

~...~

Apparently "Egypt" was pretty far away from Japan. He wasn't surprised, even if he had no idea how the item had found it's way to here in the first place. Said ring still was used as a necklace, always on the other's neck, as if it was a charm, the only familiar thing that could protect him from the outside world.

"I want to see the place where humans live."

"Then go-"

"You're still coming with me, boy."

Again he was grabbed, pulled out of his seat by the other. It seemed to become a habit, to just pull him along to everywhere the other wanted, be it his home, the forest or the roof. And now the city...

_"I want to go outside. May I?"_

_"Alone? Do you have a death wish, lad? Take the other with you, come back at dusk."_

"I'm not really good with people-"

"What a surprise."

And so he showed his not-so-other-self other self the city, perfectly ignoring the glances thrown at them by every one. Even though at this time foreigners weren't that uncommon anymore, the white hair would always be a give away.

"It looks so different from what I'm used to. Do the people that live in here... are these people free?"

"Most of them. Though their life isn't that different from those who aren't."

"I see."

The people stared at them, of course they did. Ryou was once again reminded that even though he could probably wipe out the entire city if he wanted to - he still had to be dragged through the streets by the other, because his legs wouldn't move.

"What, scared?"

"It's been a while."

"Stop grabbing my shirt."

"I refuse."

And he grabbed the shirt tighter than before, because the other actually tried to make him let go. The people stared - but it was fine, he wasn't weak anymore, he wasn't the only foreigner, there was no need to even feel uncomfortable-

"Then make it worthwhile while you choke me, will you? Show me the places that are actually interesting."

"You found _rooms_ interesting. You will be fine with just looking around."

Which in fact, the other was. Even if he behaved like a wild animal half of the way. But it was fine, really. He had been waiting for a mob since quite a time, after all, the few people that followed them once they returned weren't that unwelcome.

He didn't let go of the other anyway, not until they got outside of the city.

~...~

It happened from one moment to the other. He had been reading, or trying to do it and failing at it because his mind was about to run amok out of boredom, when the white-haired appeared in front of him, grabbed him, pulled him out of his seat as if he was a mere doll. Maybe because he had come against it, maybe because he just had something against it, his can fell over as well, spilling his tea for the fifth time by now.

He turned around, to see into the other's eyes.

"Your blood."

"You seem to be very visible at the moment."

"I am. It isn't about me disappearing."

The other let go, throwing him to the ground head first before he could do anything, looking down at him.

"I'm just thirsty."

Before he could sit up again, a hand shoved him back to the floor, the other pulled his hair aside in order to make room at his throat. There was pain, but more like the memory of it than the actual thing.

Not that he really missed that feeling, not at all. He laid still as the other drank, even if his instinct was against it, wanted him to do something, to get away, to hunt it down himself. He considered if he should bite the other as well, try out if he would make a good new blood source. Sadly, the other stopped before he made up his mind, sat up.

He was still held down by one hand, the weight getting heavier and heavier with every passing second. This - this actually hurt, or at least could hurt quite a bit if it lasted.

Red eyes looked down on him, a smirk found its way on the other's face. Blood dripping down his lips like he was a child that hadn't been taught how to eat properly.

"Try to break free, come on."

And he did, he really did. Tried to force the hand away and move away. For about a whole second until he decided it wasn't worth it.

"I can't."

"Huh. Seems like _I am_ stronger than you now. Wouldn't that change our whole relationship?"

"Depends. Were you afraid of my strength before? Or just about the fact that you wear my face, were summoned by me and are only free because of my boredom?"

He was let go again, the other stood up with a hiss, begun to walk away.

"Shut up. Why would I be afraid of someone as pathetic as you? Be thankful that I still need you, boy."

"Likewise."

"Shut up."

He stayed a bit longer on the floor, then sat up. Ignored the grin that somehow got to his face too, only for it to increase. How amusing, one might think. The tea on the floor finally tasted good again, a strange and yet wonderful flavor.

He drank it in one big sip.

~...~

"It says that you can control someone's mind once you've drunken from them. Is that true?"

"Yes."

The other stiffed, tried to hide it but it was already too late. Sharp teeth that made his mirror image complete. Now only the constant scowl on the other's face had to disappear eventually. Ryou took a sip from his tea, sighed. It was cold already. And he was pretty sure that the can was empty by now, he would have to make new one.

"Do you want to try it?"

"Being able to control you would be very helpful indeed. What do I need to do?"

"Nothing. Just drink my blood, look me in the eyes and command me to do something."

He waited for it to happen, even put his cup down in favor of not dropping it (again) once he would be grabbed. When nothing happened, he picked it up again, allowed the smirk to come to his face.

"Though if the manipulation fails, the effect will be reserved and the one under command will be you."

The angry noise the other gave was amusing indeed. Sadly, he had to leave anyway, in order to get his tea.

~...~

The steps of the human were so silent that the vampire had been prepared to deal with far more than that. A wolf, or a fairy perhaps, or a sneak attack of his look alike. He hadn't expect to get up from his seat for... this.

"-tell me human!"

"I really don't know! I haven't left this land my whole life, I don't know! Please let go-"

"Don't try to get away from me, your skin color betrays you! If you don't want to say goodbye to your body and mind, then tell me, human!"

"Bakura, release him."

The white-haired stopped in shaking the blonde through the air, turned around to stare at him instead. "Don't call me by that name", he said eventually, letting the other go, walking away without looking back. Once he was gone, the vampire turned to the human, watched as he scrambled back to his feet, not bothering to complain about his torn coat.

"Ryou-sama, who was that?!"

"Ignore him. What leads you here? Have you finally brought me the mob?"

"No, of course not! ...It's just time."

Oh, already? Time had passed faster than before. Which was... good, which was very good. Time actually began to pass again and tea didn't taste like dirt anymore.

"Ah, right."

"But seriously, who is that and why does he wear you face?"

"It's a long story. He belongs to me now. Your blood?"

"Of course."

Taking off his coat completely, the human stepped towards him. He took his arm, bit into it without hesitation. Not very much, he didn't really do anything after all. Just so he wouldn't start to want _more_.

Ryou let go of the other's arm, wiped off his mouth even though there wasn't any blood, made sure to treat the wound he had left behind.

The blonde had gone taller again; soon age itself would go against him eventually, would take him away too. A shame, really. He liked this one, had known him for half the human's life already. Maybe...

"Malik, do you want to live here? You could take your whole family with you, I don't mind them. Even that bunch of strays you picked up."

The other froze immediately, tried to brush it up, failed. Wide eyes stared at him, before the human adverted his gaze.

"Ryou-sama, I'm deeply sorry-

"Don't worry, it was a joke."

He forced a smile o his face, but it turned into a smirk instead.

"That would be all."

~...~

"So he left? You just let him go without me talking to him?"

"Yes."

And as for the other thing...

Before the other could grab him in order to drag him out of the castle to go after the human, he dodged, pulled the spirit towards him instead, bit him. Drank the blood he was sure shouldn't be drunk at all, drank until he was pushed aside violently.

"What's wrong with you? Finally lost it?"

"...You will stay until I release you, you belong to me after all. You won't leave."

"Since when do I belong to you?"

He wiped of the blood, ruining his shirt in the process. As if he was a child that hadn't been taught how to eat, huh?

"Do you actually don't want to? You've been asking all the time, wanted to be my slave, my servant, another part of myself. Aren't you desperate to belong anywhere?"

The anger in the other's eyes begun to disappear. He smirked, shook his head as if he had found out something amusing. Even had the guts to pet his hair, soft and mockingly.

"I'm not the one, you are. Fine, if you beg me for it like that, I guess _you_ can be _mine_."

~...~

The doors of the castle were thrown open with a dramatic sound, as the vampire walked inside like he didn't need to be invited. Which was true, in a way.

"The humans of my town have talked about a ghost. Since when do you leave the house again-"

The vampire looked at him for about a second, before his eyes went to the other white-haired one next to him, who was about to drink his blood once again.

Bakura let go of him, got away a few bits, stared at the intruder as if he had seen a ghost of his past. The not so ghost shook his head, sighed.

"That's exactly why I didn't want you to stay here. Who's that?"

"My servant."

"Your new pet."

"Not much of a difference."

"I'm going to punch your teeth out, vampire."

The brown-haired looked like he was already regretting coming here - then again, his face was always like that - he shook his head another time, turned around again.

"I was about to warn you. I see it won't be necessary. Mirrow-face, remember, Ryou belongs to me. So that means you belong to me too now. Mokoba, we will leave now."

"Yes!"

The doors closed again, leaving them where they had been, as if nothing had happened.

"Your sire?"

"We were both sired by the same. My blood brother, if you want."

"..."

"He is special in his own way."

"Guessed so. Now give me your blood before I go insane."

~...~

It wasn't really a mob, but a few people tried it.

He looked at the bodies on the floor - well, he looked at what was left of them. Blood everywhere, taunting his senses, inviting him to go insane. What a mess indeed.

In it all, the white-haired stood, not looking guilty at all, trying to get the red off of his hands as if it was just color, nothing to be ashamed of.

"So you thought getting rid of them was a good idea?"

"It's your fault for letting me out in the first place. Shouldn't you take responsibility instead of blaming everything on me like you're always doing?"

"I don't like that tone, spirit. Maybe I should reseal you once and for all?"

"And then what, sit all time in this castle of yours again and do nothing besides from drinking tea? Don't make me laugh, you would wither away without me Ryou, totally."

"Shut up. Just shut up."

* * *

[This gem here](https://twitter.com/dmbakura/status/1192907991856467968)

**Author's Note:**

> Ryou, a vampire with way too much time on his hand finds a spirit sealed away (because he is dangerous Ryou, are you stupid) in a temple, a sacred item and promptly just decides to take it home with him. A friendship blooms out of this. Kind of. Kind kind of. Well something blooms out of it at least.
> 
> As for why Ryou doesn't get angry at all of the spirit's insults - he grew up with Pegasus and Kaiba. That's it, that's the story.


End file.
